Galway course to prepare people for careers in the travel industry

Galway Advertiser, Thu, Oct 06, 2016

Do you fancy a career in the travel industry? A new evening course set to run in Galway from November could be just the stepping stone for you.

Running one evening a week for 12 weeks, the travel agency service skills course will be hosted by Corrib Travel in association with the Portobello Institute. The course is designed for people who want to be a travel agent or pursue a career in the travel industry.

“The industry is on the up at the moment and there is actually a real shortage of trained staff, which prompted the idea of holding a training course here in Galway,” said Clodagh Connolly, manager of Corrib Travel on Eyre Square. “And while it’s mainly aimed at those interested in becoming a travel agent, it would give a very good grounding to anyone interested in a career in any aspect of the travel business — like tour operators, airlines, cruise companies, shopping companies, air hostesses, etc.

“We would expect most interest to come from young people who have just completed the Leaving Cert and are not in college, but because it’s an evening course, it could also be an add-on to a course people are already doing, or maybe someone thinking about a change of career from the job they are in,” she added.

There are no specific academic requirements to gain entry to the course, from which successful students will gain a Portobello Institute Certificate in Travel Agency Service Skills and a QQI Level 5 Minor Award in Travel Agency Service Skills.

The course will run from 6.30pm to 9.30pm one evening a week, from November 15 to January 31, with one Saturday workshop. The cost is €795 per student.